Shadows of the Past
by Ever Autumn13
Summary: It's been twelve years since Exia ran away from her abusive father and found a home with Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, eight years since she left Chester and found a new home with Billie Joe Armstrong, a year and a half since she left the Armstrong's to go follow her boyfriend on tour (leaving only a note behind for her family), and three months since she was falsely convicted


_"Chester how many times do I have to say this. I want her gone!"  
"Why? She isn't hurting anyone. She isn't rude to you. Sam, come on you need to talk to me."  
"She isn't suppose to be here. Almost all of your time is taken up by Linkin Park so why do you need a charity case as well. What about Draven and Jaime."  
"What about them?"  
"Aren't they enough for you?"  
"Are you suggesting that I don't pay attention to my children?"  
"You don't! You're either with the guys in that damn recording studio or your with her! When do you ever see Draven or hold him. And when was the last time you even saw Jaime?"  
"What are you talking about? You know I see Jaime whenever I can. He stays with his mother because that was our agreement. He stays with whoever he wants to stay with, and I just took Draven to the park yesterday. We had a great time. It's not my fault that you won't let me take him to the studio."  
"But you took her with Draven to the park! When was the last time you spent time with just him?"  
"I spent the whole day with Draven on Monday! That was only two days ago. Remember Mike and Anna took her to lunch and then Mike took her to the studio to hang while the guys track... This isn't about not spending time with Draven. All this is about Exia but why? What has she done to make you resent her so much?"  
I couldn't take it. I didn't want to hear anymore. I hated when Samantha and Chester argued because of me. I stepped out of the hallway after drying my eyes and creeped into the living room. I had a blanket around my shoulders and the teddy bear Chester had given me in my arms.  
"Daddy?" My tiny voice silenced the room almost immediately. I was a little worried at first about interrupting but I just wanted them to stop fighting.  
"Exie! I'm sorry kid did we wake you up?" Chester immediately brushed off his wife and knelt down in front of me.  
"No I just couldn't sleep so I was going to get some water. I'm sorry I'm out of bed." I clutched the bear tighter in my arms and looked down at the floor.  
"You don't have to apologize for getting water. How bout I help get you that water then get you back in bed. You need your sleep so you can come with me and Mike to the studio tomorrow ." He stood up and gently grabbed the hand that wasn't holding the teddy bear.  
As we passed by Samantha she grabbed Chester's arm. "Hey we weren't done talking. She can get her own damn water."  
"Sam let me take care of Exia then we can talk. Although I think I have heard enough of what you have to say." Chester's voice was hard and final as we made our way into the kitchen._

_8 Years later_

_Dear Mikey,  
I miss you. I know it's only been a few days but I can't stand it here. I don't even belong in here! They charge me with 6 months in this prison on fucking battery charges. Seriously I'm what, 5'4 maybe and 125LBs I could totally hospitalize someone.(insert sarcastic voice now). Also they refer to me as 13, the number on my uniform, because the guards think that my last name is too long and they don't want to say it.  
Right now they have me set up for anger management classes with some inmates from various prisons. Mikey I'm scared. I don't know what to do here. I guess all I can do is try and stay out of everyone's way.  
I love you Mikey and I wish I was with you. I wish I wasn't in here. I wish I had a better lawyer. I wish I could have seen my family before all this shit happened. I guess I wish a lot of things happened differently.  
Mikey I need you to do one thing for me. Will you please tell my family what really happened. Tell them that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and tell them that I miss them too.  
I should be able to have a visitor soon. I told them to contact you when I can since you guys should be out here already by that time. I'll try to write again soon.  
Love,  
Exia  
P.S. Tell Gerard that he still owes me for getting his coffee. Also tell him that it's NOT his fault I'm in here. I volunteered to get the coffee and like I said ,was in the wrong place at the wrong time.._

* * *

_3 Weeks Later_

_'Four weeks. Four fucking weeks I've been in this hell hole. Stupid fucking Vegas with their stupid fucking corrupt justice system. That bitch was rich and just needed someone to take the blame from her fucking abusive boyfriend.' I sat in my cell staring at the wall. The thing about prison is that you have a lot of time to think. And my thoughts were getting a bit dark since iv'e been locked up.  
"13 you have a visitor" the guard came to unlock my cell and to shackle me so I couldn't escape. Like I would even try and run. I just wanted to get out of here with no problems.  
The guard, Officer Man, led me through the corridors of the prison to the interrogation room where there would be an armed guard in the room with me and whoever was visiting, and two more guards looking in through a two-way mirror. I was a rat in a cage and I hated it.  
That room. I hated that room. It was so cold, and I'm not just talking about the temperature of it. The whole room just reeked of despair.  
I sat down at the metal table and waited for Officer Man to bring in my visitor. I expected to have my public defender to walk through the door. It's not like I've had contact with anyone else since I've been locked up. After about ten minutes of staring at the wall the door opened and Officer Man walked in.  
"Alright 13," I mentally smirked at the nick name, "you will have ten minutes, and ten minutes only. You will not be un-cuffed. You do one thing that I don't like and you will face consequences. Do you understand me?"  
"Yes sir, loud and clear." As soon as I agreed to his conditions another officer opened the door and a smile crept onto my face.  
"Remember ten minutes only." The officer closed the door leaving me, Officer Man, and Mikey Way in the room.  
"I miss you." I said as he sat down across from me.  
"Ya me too." My smile fell as he ran a hand through his bleached hair.  
"Is there something wrong?" He seemed distracted but then again he was visiting his girlfriend in prison so I brushed it off.  
"Listen babe, we need to talk and I don't have time to dance around the subject." his voice was sharp.  
'Oh shit this doesn't sound good.' I thought and sighed "About what?"  
"The guys from Reprise are contacting us."  
"And thats a bad thing? Wait they aren't dropping you guys right."  
"No we aren't getting dropped."  
"So what's the problem then?"  
"If you'll let me talk then I'll tell you." he snapped at me. I flinched reacting to the anger. This has been one reaction I have never been able to get rid of and I hated it. "They called because of some bad press we're, well I've been getting." I looked down at my cuffed wrists and shook my head, knowing immediately that his bad press was because of me.  
Reprise Records hated me because any press involving me is bad press. I remember when I was a roadie for My Chem. Mikey and Alicia had just broken up and I had been spending time with Mikey because he was closer to my age than the others, well except for Frank. Anyway a picture of Mikey and I sitting in a Starbucks laughing was put on the internet and the fans went crazy. They blamed me for Mikey's break up and assumed that I stole him from Alicia. I was without a doubt the most hated "girlfriend" of the band. About three months after his break up we started going out. We decided that we weren't going to announce it because I was still underaged and didn't want Mikey to get in trouble. I can imagine the headlines now "My Chem. Bassist Mikey Way's 19 year old girlfriend jailed for assault charges" Reprise must be having a field day, First Gerard's alcohol problem, now his brothers troubled girlfriend is "jailed", fantastic.  
"Mikey you know what happened. Just tell your fans the truth and they will listen and Reprise will follow."  
"Do you think I'm so stupid as to not try that. Of course I've put out a statement. We have all commented on this but the label doesn't care. They don't want us to be together."  
"Big fucking deal. They didn't want us together in the beginning either but that didn't stop us. Hell we have never ca-"  
"IT'S DIFFERENT THIS TIME!" I cringed away from him. He took a breath, "Look Exie," I snapped my head up and clenched my fists together, "I can't handle them breathing down my neck anymore."  
"So what? You're going to throw away two and a half years because your bosses are having a bitch fit." I responded with thoughts buzzing through my head. 'He called me Exie. He never calls me that, no one does except for Chester and Mike.'  
"You don't understand Ex. I just can't risk the arguments with Reprise. This is my career, I need it, and in order to keep making music I need to make them happy."  
"Weren't you the one that said, 'Don't do anything to try to fit in'. You know that they would never drop the band so why are you letting them push you around?" I started to think back to all the time we had spent together. 'Has he ever called me Exia?. I know I told the band my  
"I knew you wouldn't get it. Listen I love you but it's over."  
"13 time's up." Officer Man came over to me and started to escort me out of the room.  
"Trust me this is for the best." I heard Mikey say and I paused for a second.  
"Mikey answer me one thing... What is my full name?"  
"Your full name? Your kidding right? Do you really think I don't know your name."  
"Just answer the damn question!" I clenched my fists, 'Does he even know me at all?' I thought.  
"It's Exie Blair Armstrong."  
I chuckled darkly, "Wrong"  
"Thats bull shit Ex! You told me your name when I fist met you. You said that you didn't give out your real name lightly so I should remember it."  
"Your right I did say that, but it was during , he was silent and I looked back at him one last time. "Well I guess I got my fucking answer." I said to myself as I walked out of the room. Officer Man said nothing as he put me back into my cage leaving me with my increasingly menacing thoughts._

* * *

3 Months later (2013 present time) (August)

"You know if you think too hard you'll give yourself a headache."  
I was pulled out of my thoughts, "Well someone has to do the thinking for both of us since you're incapable of that action Ronnie." I looked over to my half brother. Surprisingly enough I met him in prison, well in the anger management classes we had to take.  
When Ronnie got out he still had money from his Escape the Fate days and had tried to find our mother. He never found her but one day I got a visit from a P.I. and the rest is history. Since we found each other we have been inseparable.  
"Shut up squirt...So you exited to see everyone again?"  
I looked down to my hands not saying anything for a good minute, "Ronnie, I'm scared. What if there mad at me? What if they hate me because I've been gone for so long? I don't think I can handle it." My breathing picked up, my hands started to get sweaty, and I started to shake.  
"Squirt, Squirt calm down." He veered off to the side of the road and parked. "Exia Bennington-Armstrong look at me." He put his hand under my chin and tilted it till I was looking into his eyes. I was still shaking and hyperventilating. "Remember this okay? Only an idiot wouldn't be able to see what a joy you are to have around. I bet they're all waiting for you will open arms. And you told me that all of them will be there so you have nothing to worry about okay."  
Ronnie seemed to always know what to say to me. He is an amazing older brother and I couldn't ask for a better one.


End file.
